Spooky City Regulations
Halloween Laws Across the U.S.
Halloween can be a mischievous holiday. The most innocent of us reserve it for backyard parties and trick-or-treating, but some like to get a little rowdier than others. That’s exactly why various city councils across the U.S. have passed some seemingly unusual laws to regulate spooky festivities.
mess left behind became a strain on sanitation workers, and the city sympathized with them.
Belleville, Illinois: No 8th Graders
Trick-or-treating is most often viewed as an activity reserved for younger generations, but how do you determine what age is “too old” for this type of generally good-natured fun? Well, the city of Belleville settled the ambiguity by passing a law restricting teenagers who are past the eighth grade — generally older than 13 — from going door to door on Halloween.
Rehoboth Beach, Delaware: No Sunday Trick-or-Treating
If Halloween falls on a Sunday, children in Rehoboth Beach are required to trick-or-treat the night before. The explanation in the city code is simple, but ambiguous: to prevent children and their guardians from going door to door on Sunday evenings. Rehoboth Beach law also forbids children from roaming the streets on Halloween “with the intent to cause trouble,” but what exactly that means is ambiguous as well.
Walnut, California: No Masks Without Permits
In a simpler time, there was no paperwork required to celebrate Halloween to the fullest. But in the city of Walnut, no one can wear a mask or other disguise on public streets without a permit from the sheriff. The law doesn’t specify any exceptions, so residents are left to assume that everyone from age 5 to 100 must abide. Whatever your Halloween celebrations might look like this year, it’s important to have fun, but remember to abide by any rules or laws your city might have in place in an effort to keep its citizens safe.
Hollywood, California: No Silly String
The Los Angeles City Council has banned Silly String and all other brands of aerosol string from use on Halloween in the Hollywood area. From midnight on Oct. 31 until noon on Nov. 1, no one is allowed to spray, sell, or distribute Silly String in public locations. Use of Silly String got so popular in the city on Halloween that the
IS IT EASIER TO GET AWAY WITH A DUI OR DWI DURING THE PANDEMIC?
While most people have returned to the roads in Texas, many might enter the holiday season by going to bars and enjoying drinks with their friends again. We encourage responsible drinking, but we also want to talk about what happens when people make the mistake of drinking and driving in these unique times. As we’re several months into the pandemic without a vaccine, it’s fair to speculate that the pandemic will still affect restaurants and bars throughout the holiday season. The lessened traffic makes it easier — not harder — for police to make DUI and DWI arrests. Police are still making drug arrests and issuing tickets for everything frommarijuana possession to more serious drug crimes.
is a minor misdemeanor that can often be dismissed with an attorney on your side.
• Don’t take unnecessary risks when it comes to maintaining your safety. Many of our clients get arrested at drive-thru restaurants. Be careful! Going out for food isn’t worth a criminal record or a life- changing accident. Lastly, always refuse the breath or blood test and get an attorney as soon as possible. Texas laws are infamously complicated and strict when it comes to controlled substances and narcotics. That’s why you want Medlin Law on your side right away — we’ve fought this battle many times, and we know how to win. If you’d like more of our legal tips during the pandemic, download our e-book “Criminal Defense and the COVID-19 Outbreak: What Police Are Enforcing and How to Protect Your Legal Rights” on our website, MedlinFirm.com .
Know your rights and stay informed about the law by remembering these key factors for the holiday season.
• Never carry prescription drugs that aren’t yours. You can get in trouble with drug laws for this, even during COVID-19.
• Remember, marijuana in the form of pure THC (dabs, for example) is a felony case. Leafy marijuana
https://www.MedlinFirm.com | Pg. 2
Made with FlippingBook Ebook Creator